In this episode of "Wokeness in Portland..."
Portland, Oregon. Been there, done that. Shortly after the "peaceful" Black Lives Matter "protests" (violent riots), no less. And barring unforeseeable — and I do mean unforeseeable — circumstances in the future, I will likely never visit the once-beautiful, now woke-riddled, city again.
Sound a bit rash? Perhaps it is. Thing is? So be it. This article is just one example among countless others of why I'm grateful to have lived and raised a family in the heart of America, nowhere near the place.
Our story begins with the Democrat-controlled city's 41st annual tree-lighting ceremony this past Friday. Note that I didn't write "Christmas tree." Why not? Because throughout the entire performative theater presentation, not once was "Christmas tree" uttered. Instead, it was simply referred to as "the tree."
And hoo-boy did it get worse.
So, yeah — Portland's Democrat leaders once again sparked outrage, this time after obviously laying down the law that none of the speakers or presenters would utter the word "Christmas." Period.
As thousands gathered in Pioneer Courthouse Square for the Oregon city’s tree-lighting, leaders and other speakers avoided mentioning “Christmas” at any point — including in the ceremony itself and even in the event’s ads.
Why?
A rhetorical question, assuming you're aware of the leftist insanity in the once-proud city that's now up to its woke eyeballs in homeless encampments, rampant drug abuse, harboring illegal aliens, and an overall attitude of arrogant, "in-your-face, America" lunacy.
Here's more:
The festive occasion was kicked off with a woman from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs thanking everyone in the crowd for coming out on Native American Heritage Day.
She introduced two younger members of the tribe, who referred to the celebration only as “the tree lighting,” before handing the microphone to another featured speaker.
Draped in a Palestinian flag, the woman used her stage time to lead the crowd in a “Free Palestine” chant.
The woman said, just moments after she began speaking:
This is the perfect time to bring this up. There are a lot of genocides going on. Can I get a ‘Free, free Palestine?'
Not to be Mr. Obvious, but perhaps the woman should instead ask Hamas and other Islamist terrorist organizations in Gaza that publicly execute Palestinians in the streets on trumped-up (no pun intended) charges of collaborating with Israel, and other such "traitorous" lies.
The woman proceeded to lead the crowd in the “Strong Woman Song” — an "intertribal Indigenous song" about the strength, resilience, and empowerment of indigenous women, particularly those who have faced violence and systematic oppression." Joined on the stage by two children and another woman, the woman explained it “felt appropriate since we’re representing our matriarchs up here.”
Nearly an hour into the woke extravaganza, Democrat Mayor Keith Wilson took the stage, introduced Santa and the city’s representatives, and finally got around to flipping the switch to light the 75-foot tree, which frankly looked more like an obligatory tradition than anywhere near a genuine celebration of the meaning of Christmas and its importance to Christians around the world.
Incidentally, the woman's reference to genocide was rich, given the ongoing systematic slaughter of Christians in Nigeria.
Imagine — just for a nanosecond — the histrionic fallout if a Republican-controlled city were to all but neuter a Muslim holiday in fear of alienating or incensing Christians.
Somewhere, even Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and Snoopy weep.
